Winthrop, James, 1752-1821. Papers of James Winthrop, 1765-1826. Notes about cases heard as Justice of the Peace, 1784-1795. HUM 69 Box 1, Folder 2, Harvard University Archives.

Benjamin was born in Concord, gained no inhabitancy in Woburn, & that his last residence was in Lexington in said the County of Middlesex; Judgment against Cambridge, complaint dismissed, & Camb. to pay cost of Court. 6/8 [?] of there being no warrant

Cambridge vs Mary Flood a poor person from Charlestown. Upon notice given to appear this 22d {February} 1786, no parties but {plaintiffs} do not attend; Judgment in favor of the plaintiffs that she be removed, Cambridge to pay cost of Court taxed at £0.6/8 witht. warrant

Cambridge vs. Bender Temple with his wife & family, poor persons from Charlestown; Upon notice to all parties to appear this 22 {February} 1786, none but plaintiffs attend, Judgment in their favor that Bender with his wife & family be

14. returned to Charlestown. Cambridge to pay cost of Court taxed at 6/8 {without} the warrant

Cambridge vs. John Willet a poor person from Boston Co. Suffolk. Notice given to all parties to appear this 22 {February} 1786, None but Plaintiffs attend. Judgment in their favor that he be returned to Boston. Cambridge to pay cost of Court taxed at 6/8 {without{ warrant.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Middlesex [fc.?] Be it remembered that on this sixth day of May in the year of our Lord 1786, comes John Stratton of Cambridge in the County of Middlesex laborer, & on oath exhibits

his complaint before us James Winthrop & Samuel Thatcher {Esquires} two if the Justices assigned to keep the peace in the said County, that Nathaniel Stratton of resident in said Cambridge, a cabinet maker, is lunatic & furiously mad, & so far disordered in his senses as to render it dangerous to the good people that he be suffered to go at large, & that on the third day of May instant he did with force & arms attack the complainant & put him in great danger. Whereupon divers witnesses are examined on oath touching the lunacy of said Nathaniel, who testify that he is lunatic & a common disturber of the peace. We therefore the said

16. Justices find the complaint to be true, that the said Nathaniel is lunatic & furiously mad & so far disordered in his senses as to render it dangerous to the good people that he be suffered to go at large. It is therefore considered by us that said Nathaniel Stratton be committed to the common Jail of the said County situated in Cambridge aforesaid & there kept safely locked up in some convenient apartment until he be thence delivered by due course of law.

James Winthrop Justice of the Peace

17 Middlesex [se?]. Be it remembered that on the 28th day of December A.D. 1786, Amos Washburn resident in Cambridge in the County aforesaid, gentleman, is brought before me James Winthrop {Esquire}, one of the Justices assigned to keep the peace in & for said county, by John Brown one of the constables of said Cambridge, by warrant issued by me the said Justice on the said 28th day of December, against the said Amos Washburn, for that he the said Amos at Cambridge aforesaid on the 22d day of December 1786 in the presence of Francis Moore of said Cambridge baker, & in the presence of divers witnesses, did utter viol divers violent & outrageous threatenings against the said Francis, at the same time using violent & threatening actions & saying that if the said Francis should come into the street he the said Amos would beat his face to pieces, thereby putting the said Francis in